Chapter 4: The Woman in the Kitchen
The café went black.
A chair scraped violently across the floor.
Someone screamed.
Marcus heard Evelyn gasp beside him.
Then a man's voice cut through the darkness.
“DON’T MOVE!””
Marcus reached for Evelyn.
“Evelyn?””
“I’m here.””
Daniel shouted from somewhere near the entrance.
“Marcus, get down!””
A loud crack split the room.
The sound wasn't a gunshot.
It was the café's emergency generator kicking in.
Dim red lights flickered along the walls.
Marcus looked around.
Vanessa was gone.
So was Adrian.
Daniel stood near the door, breathing heavily.
But Evelyn was staring toward the back hallway.
“Rose,” she whispered.
Marcus followed her gaze.
A narrow door stood half open.
He rushed toward it.
“Marcus, wait!”” Daniel yelled.
Marcus pushed through.
The hallway smelled like coffee grounds and rain.
At the end was a small kitchen.
A woman stood beside the sink.
She was wearing a faded blue cardigan and gray gloves.
Her hair had turned almost completely white.
She slowly turned.
Marcus stopped.
“Rose?””
The woman stared at him.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, “You look just like your father.””
Marcus felt a chill crawl up his spine.
He remembered Rose.
She had worked for their family for nearly twenty years.
She used to make Ava's pancakes on Saturday mornings.
She had held Evelyn's hand during labor.
She had been there when Marcus proposed.
Then, two years before Evelyn supposedly died, Rose had supposedly passed away from a sudden illness.
Marcus took a step forward.
“You're alive.””
Rose smiled sadly.
“So is your wife.””
Evelyn entered behind him.
Rose's expression changed instantly.
She crossed the kitchen and embraced Evelyn.
Neither woman spoke.
They simply held each other.
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“What is happening?””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Rose helped Evelyn disappear.””
Marcus stared at him.
“Why?””
Rose released Evelyn.
“Because there was no other way.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You knew Vanessa was stealing from me?””
“Yes.””
“You knew she tried to kill Evelyn?””
“Yes.””
“And you let me believe you were dead too?””
Rose's eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted to tell you.””
“Then why didn't you?””
“Because Vanessa had your daughter.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Rose looked toward Evelyn.
Evelyn nodded.
“Not literally.””
Rose continued.
“She had people watching Ava. She knew every place the child went. Every school event. Every doctor appointment.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“So you were protecting Ava.””
“Yes.””
“By making me believe my wife and our maid were dead?””
Rose looked down.
“I thought you would hate me.””
Marcus stared at her.
“I don't know what I feel.””
A metallic crash sounded outside.
Everyone turned.
Daniel moved toward the kitchen window.
“Someone's coming.””
Rose's face changed.
“It's too late.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What do you mean?””
She walked to an old wooden cabinet and pulled out a metal box.
“This is what Vanessa has been looking for.””
Marcus stared at the box.
“What is it?””
“Proof.””
She placed it on the counter.
Inside were bank statements, photographs, handwritten notes, and a tiny flash drive.
Marcus picked up one photograph.
It showed Vanessa entering a private office.
Beside her stood a man Marcus recognized.
His former financial director.
The same man who had disappeared after Evelyn's death.
Marcus looked at the date.
Eight years ago.
Three days before Evelyn's supposed accident.
“What happened that night?””
Rose's hands trembled.
“I was there.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Rose continued.
“Vanessa came to the house after midnight. She was screaming at Evelyn.””
Marcus looked at his wife.
“What did she want?””
“The account numbers.””
“Which accounts?””
“Your father's trust.””
Marcus frowned.
“My father died years before that.””
“Exactly.””
Rose opened another folder.
“The trust had been transferred to Evelyn.””
Marcus stared.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't I know?””
“Because your father left a condition.””
Marcus's fingers tightened around the folder.
“What condition?””
Rose looked directly at him.
“He knew someone in your family would try to steal the money.””
Marcus's heart began pounding.
“What did he leave Evelyn?””
“A letter.””
“Where is it?””
Rose pointed at the flash drive.
“On that.””
Marcus reached for it.
Then Rose grabbed his wrist.
“Before you see it, you need to understand something.””
“What?””
“Your father didn't trust Vanessa.””
Marcus frowned.
“He barely knew her.””
Rose shook her head.
“He knew her very well.””
The kitchen door suddenly slammed open.
Adrian stood there.
“Rose, we have to go.””
Marcus turned.
“Where's Vanessa?””
“Gone.””
“Why?””
Adrian's face was pale.
“She wasn't here to stop Evelyn.””
“Then why was she here?””
Adrian looked at Rose.
“To warn you.””
Marcus stared at him.
“Warn me about what?””
Adrian's eyes moved toward the metal box.
“Because Vanessa found out who was inside that trust.””
Marcus frowned.
“Who?””
Nobody answered.
Then Adrian said quietly:
“Your father didn't leave the money to Evelyn.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Then who?””
Adrian swallowed.
“He left it to Ava.””
The kitchen went silent.
Marcus looked at his daughter in his mind.
Ava.
The little girl Vanessa had been manipulating.
The little girl who had been forced to sign documents.
The little girl Vanessa had repeatedly called unstable.
Suddenly, the forged signature made sense.
Marcus looked at Rose.
“Why did Vanessa need Ava to sign?””
Rose's face went pale.
“Because Ava is eighteen now.””
Marcus froze.
“And legally…”
Rose whispered, “The trust belongs to her.””
A loud crash came from the front of the café.
Then a man's voice shouted:
“POLICE! NOBODY MOVE!””
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
“That isn't the police.””
Rose grabbed the metal box.
“We have to leave.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“Where?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with fear.
“There is one place Vanessa never searched.””
Marcus waited.
Evelyn whispered the address.
May you like
And Marcus recognized it immediately.
It was the house where he and Vanessa had held Evelyn's funeral.
